inhuman

“Pleasure. You must be the Queen’s sister.”

Oh, look, it was her favorite title. Crystalia smiled politely. "Yes, that's me. Have you spoken with Medusalith?"

He tilted his head, listening to her story. “I’m the baby of the family, and I was always expected to live up to Sue’s standards. It was… Difficult, to say the least, so I think I know where you’re coming from.” He had always been the one getting in trouble, trying to rebel against everything. He blushed harder. “Thank you,” he said, smiling at her. He was mildly surprised that she squeezed his hand like that. “Thank you again. I think you are lovely to be around, personally.”

"I suppose we have something in common then. I'm sure Maximus, my cousin, would have loved to be the youngest. But it's nice to talk to someone who understands. It's stressful, isn't it? I don't mean to find trouble, it just seems to find me. Perhaps its because we never left Attilan." She needed to get her blushing act together. "You're going to kill me." She chuckled. "I cannot stop blushing because you keep complimenting me. You're too sweet."

Johnny considered this for a moment. “I would definitely like to see what you can do with your powers. Only having fire gives me more of a chance to perfect it, but I’m sure you’re wonderful with the other three too.” He smiled. “You’re sweet enough that that everyone will like you, I promise.” He nodded understandingly. “That makes sense. You just have to be careful like you said. I think most people here are pretty understanding.”

"I've always felt it was important to not favorite one over the other, because they all need to work in harmony. Like, there's air in water and fire. And earth needs water. They're also each others weaknesses. I don't know. Perhaps I've spent too much time alone as of late." She shrugged. "I'm a diplomat, I have to be courteous." And Crystalia was trying to take her job seriously. "It is tedious at times. But speaking of understanding, I was reading one of your newspapers. Did you really just have a war against each other?"

“You do help, darling,” she said, rubbing her sister’s arm gently. “I believe you will make a better ambassador of our people than anyone else in the royal family could at this time.” She laughed. “Regardless, there is nothing better you could have done to get into Blackagar’s good graces.” Medusa curled up beside her sister and gently took over unwinding Crystalia’s hair. “Hmm, could you set up a time for the king and I to meet her? I would like to speak to her personally.” She chuckled. “Trouble just seems to find you does it?” She raised an eyebrow. “Naked men? What on earth has happened since I left here?” Her eyebrow steadily climbed higher. “A friend. A friend who makes you blush.” She paused. “Johnny Storm? I met his sister, Susan, I believe.”

"Why do you think that?" And if so, why had they left her at home? Crystalia was young, that was true. She was able to befriend a different demographic than her sister, but it wasn't as if the royals were too old to try and do the same. "I thought that he would like it. I've scarcely seen Lockjaw since though. I don't know where he's been hiding, or how a dog that size could hide at all." She loved her sister, and spending time with her in a casual setting was always something Crystal enjoyed. She shifted  on the bed so that her back was to Medusa so she could work on her hair and stretched her legs out. "I will. I offered to introduce you already. She seemed like she wanted to get to know you. There's another Inhuman girl too, I think, but I haven't talked to her." Crystalia scoffed. "I suppose. There's this man named Namor who enjoys lounging with no clothes on, and Johnny accidentally burnt his clothes off. See? I was innocent on both fronts." Besides, she knew what a man looked like. "I never said that he made me blush." She protested feebly. "I just like him, that's all. He's.... He's special. Maximus said to not get married. But you've met Susan? I've been wanting to meet her because Johnny talks of her often. Did you like her?"

“Please do. I’m… I’ve been doing my research into Atillan and the Inhumans but there’s not a lot out there. I’ve been meaning to figure out a way to approach him and Queen Medusa without seeming strange. I have so many questions.” She smiled. “It’s definitely lovely. And it’s useful for a secret identity.”

"I feel as if that's our fault, but we're here now. You're an Inhuman though, it won't be strange to approach them. After all they are the King and Queen. I'd be careful about approaching Maximus, but that's something else entirely. I could introduce you if you want." Crystalia offered. "You got a good power. You're lucky."

“I have no earthly idea what you’re talking about, dearest sister,” Medusa said, hair dancing in mirth. “Well, neither Maximus nor Gorgon nor Karnak or Triton will appreciate it either, so you will be in good company.”

"Of course you don't. Wait," her mouth hung open in disbelief. "You're going to put Gorgon, Karnak and Triton on it too? Medusa, we're going to kill each other! Maximus is going to kill someone. Please don't do this."

Medusa smiled brightly. “Why are you telling me no? I haven’t done anything.” The yet was written clearly on her face.

"I can see it in your eyes." The younger sister huffed. "You're going to do something and I won't like it."

“That’s really reassuring. I do try to learn as best as I can. Oh, that’s alright. I can respect that.”

"There's a lot to learn, isn't there? I need to speak with my sister about why we're here. I suppose I went into diplomacy a little blindly."

He knew he was reasonably intelligent, but he always felt a little dwarfed by Sue and later he definitely felt dwarfed by Reed. Then again, he was pretty sure everyone felt dwarfed by Reed. “Studying wasn’t always high on my priorities.” He shrugged. “I don’t know if I would, I just never tried to figure out really what it was to me.” He grinned. She was even more cute when she blushed. “I wasn’t saying you were cute just because you were the baby of your family. I really think you’re cute.” He dropped his gaze, blushing hard enough that it was visible on his face. “I’m well liked enough, but I’m not pretty royalty.”

"I didn't have much of a choice." Crystalia admitted. "Medusalith was always engaged to Black Bolt and set to be queen, but I had to study as well." Plus, she hadn't wanted to be the family disappointment. The Amaquelin sisters were different, what with going through Terrigenisis so young. She hadn't wanted to let anyone down. His blush brought a small chuckle out of her, and Crystalia wondered to herself how she had become such a giggling, blushing mess. "I thank you then. You know that you're also cute, right? And I'm not just saying that because you complimented me first." Crystalia reached out and quickly squeezed his hand, hoping she wasn't over stepping. "You don't need to be royalty to be liked. You are more than enough as is, Johnny Storm."

“Okay, I say bomb because that’s what it felt like. It was an accident with a crystal and I went through Terrigenesis.” She smiled. “I rather like being able to shapeshift. It’s good for bad hair days.”

"Oh, I suppose that's better than a bomb. Regardless, I'll ask my cousin about it." Crystalia shoved aside her hesitance to smile back at her fellow Inhuman. "I'd imagine. I'm jealous."

Kamala froze as Crystalia hugged her. She hadn’t been expecting the other girl to hug her. “I… yeah, I’m from New Jersey.” She hadn’t expected the Inhuman Princess to hug her like that. “After Terrigenesis Bomb went off, I was affected. I went through it in my room. I can shapeshift. Into whomever I want.”

“I can’t help myself,” he whined. “She knows I have a condition and then she picks on me more than anyone else.” He bypassed dwelling on childhood memories.

“Uh… what?” He blinked and took a few moments to digest what she’d been up to. “Just remember not to marry any of them. Love and leave.”

"Your condition is self-diagnosed. I believe you torment my sister just as much as she 'picks' on you. Speaking of which, what have you been doing since you arrived? I can't imagine you've just been sitting around staring at walls."